Judicial duels or trial by combat (which is NOT what you're talking about--historically, yours sounds like a personal duel of honor, not one in which the judicial/legal system would get involved) in the Middle Ages and Renaissance were sometimes fought without armor by law*.
Judicial duels/trial by combat DO go back to the Middle Ages and earlier in Europe, especially in Germany. Private duels mostly came along later, late 16th century and after. While judicial trial-by-combat was related to jousting, they really weren't at all the same thing. Judicial duels were regulated by the king or other authorities, not the kind of thing two guys would just have without officially petitioning for permission, or risk royal ire and subsequent consequences.
Of course, in fantasy, you can adjust the rules to suit your story: I could definitely see in a medieval fantasy setting deciding that duels of honor were fought unarmored, if canon doesn't give you GRRM's answer on the topic.
(Leather was in some times and places a common alternative to metal, but more for the non-wealthy. You could also have a padded jack--a heavily quilted coat--or some other type of arming doublet/jacket, if they agree to take off the armor but aren't fighting in street clothing. If you want to go for actual disemboweling, I'd recommend street clothes or stripped to the waist, and make it a matter of honor to fight duels unarmored.)
*Or the playing field was otherwise leveled for differing abilities of the defendant and accuser. For example, in Denmark, if an old woman was accused by a young man, he got to stand waist-deep in a pit while she circled around hitting him with a stone in a sling. He had a club, and if he missed her three times, she was considered innocent.
Judicial duels/trial by combat DO go back to the Middle Ages and earlier in Europe, especially in Germany. Private duels mostly came along later, late 16th century and after. While judicial trial-by-combat was related to jousting, they really weren't at all the same thing. Judicial duels were regulated by the king or other authorities, not the kind of thing two guys would just have without officially petitioning for permission, or risk royal ire and subsequent consequences.
Of course, in fantasy, you can adjust the rules to suit your story: I could definitely see in a medieval fantasy setting deciding that duels of honor were fought unarmored, if canon doesn't give you GRRM's answer on the topic.
(Leather was in some times and places a common alternative to metal, but more for the non-wealthy. You could also have a padded jack--a heavily quilted coat--or some other type of arming doublet/jacket, if they agree to take off the armor but aren't fighting in street clothing. If you want to go for actual disemboweling, I'd recommend street clothes or stripped to the waist, and make it a matter of honor to fight duels unarmored.)
*Or the playing field was otherwise leveled for differing abilities of the defendant and accuser. For example, in Denmark, if an old woman was accused by a young man, he got to stand waist-deep in a pit while she circled around hitting him with a stone in a sling. He had a club, and if he missed her three times, she was considered innocent.
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